Clasp



JAP*- 10, l1923. n

L- R. BARNETT CLASP Filed API 20, .1922

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Patented pr. l0, 1923.

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CLASP. f

Application led April 20, 1922. Serial No. 555,766. i

' 10 all @07mm t may concer/li Be it known that l, LYMAN R. BARNETT, citizen of the United States, residing at Missoula, in the county of Missoula land State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clasps, ot' which the following is a specification.

rlhe invention relates to clasps, and has as an object the provision of a clasp especially adapted for use upon necklaces, or the like. A further object is the provision of a clasp which may be secured and released by the simplest operation.

A further object of the invention is the `provision ot' a clasp which will hold the necklace securely, so as to prevent loss thereof from the neck of the wearer.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying' drawings, 20 in which` Fig..1 is a central vertical longitudinal section, parts being shown in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1, upon an enlarged scale;

F ig. 3 is a. detail section corresponding to 'F ig. 1, upon an enlarged scale, showing the operation of the device in dotted lines.

As shown, the claspl comprises a shell having a cone shaped extremity 11 at one end with an opening l2 therein for the reception ot' a rod 13, to which one end of the necklace 14 may be secured. The opposite end of the shell 10 is shown as closed and as having a ring 15 secured thereto for attachment of the other end or" the necklace 14.

To grasp the rod 13 so as to hold the two ends of the necklace together a clutch formed of balls 16, carried by a hollow cone 1'?, are shown, which balls cooperate with the inner conical surface of the portion 11 of the shell. The cone 17 is shown as carried on a tube18 and rigidly secured thereto. To press the balls and cone toward the end 11 of the shell a spiral spring 19 is shown surrounding the tube 18, operating against the base 20 of the cone 17 at one end, and against an annular disk 21 secured within the interior of the shell 10.

To enable the user to disengage the clutch from the rod 13 the end of the tube v18 is cut away to provide a pair of parallel portions 32, which are extendedthrough slots 23 in i the end ofthe shell 10, and their extremities bent outwardly, as at 24. l

, The rod 13 may be introduced into the 55 opening 12 and upon coming in contact with the balls 16 will :torce its way between them, with compression of the spring19 and with n rolling or' the balls 16 against the inner surface of the portion 11 of the shell. l/Vhen the 60 rod 13 has been shoved to 19 will cause the balls tol be pressed'against the conical surface of the end of theshell 10 and against the rod 13, positively preventing the removal of the rod as long as the pressure of the spring 19 is not removed. yWhen it is desired to loosen the clasp the user may grasp the chain 14 with three lingers of a hand, and the outwardly turned portion 24 y of the tube 18 with the nails of the irst icin- 70 vger andthumb of the same hand, and may then compress the spring 19, causing the balls 16 to release the rod 13, when it may be readily withdrawn.

The device may be assembled by dropping the balls 16 through the tube 18 tothe interior of the hollow cone 17, when they will find their positions in the openings 25 therein.I after which the tube may be placed within the shell 10.

The clasp will be found positive in action and yet may be released with exceeding readiness in marked contrast to any devices heretofore provided for the purpose, of which I am aware. Minor changes may be made in the physical embodiment of theinvention without departing from its spirit.

I claim:

A clasp comprising a rod, a shell having closed ends, one o1 said ends being conical 90\ and having an opening at its apex to receive said rod, the remaining end having spaced y openings, a tube in said shell, an enlargedV conical end on said tube having ball receivposition the spring ing openings, balls in said last named openings adapted to be pressed into contact with said rod by the vconical end ot said shell. a platein said shell having an opening receiv` ing said tube.,` a spring abutting against said plate and enlarged end, portions of said tube |00 cut away to leave separated strips adapted to pass through said spaced openings, means on the projecting ends of said strips to be grasped for actuation of said tube to release the balls from the rod.

LYMAN R. BARNETT. 

